INCLUSIVE DESIGN IN ACTION - A CASE STUDY DESCRIBING THE DESIGN OF SOCIAL AREA SEATING IN A UNIVERSITY

This practice paper outlines the inclusive design process used in the redesign of communal/social seating in an Engineering faculty in a University in Ireland. The old seating was not being utilised by the students. Engineering courses often present challenging assignments to students; literature shows that access to information, knowledge exchanges and opportunities for learning through social interaction can be crucial to student success. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) has grown as an important agenda item across society. Therefore, the methodology used in this redesign was inclusive design. Inclusive design is a design framework that takes into account the diversity of the human race and embraces co-design to ensure no one is excluded. It is “…not designing one product for all people; instead, it's designing a diversity of ways to participate so that everyone has a sense of belonging”(Holmes 2018). The design team on this project was composed of a voluntary, diverse group of students and staff. The data collection methods employed was a design walk through of the University, a faculty-wide survey, and a design hackathon. The inclusive design process resulted in various social seating designs that addressed the needs of a broad range of users, including those with physical disabilities and sensory impairments. The final designs are available for perusal in Appendix 2, that show a more inclusive space for students and staff to interact and collaborate. The findings of this study highlight the importance of using an inclusive design process when designing academic environments. By involving a diverse group of stakeholders in the design process, the resulting spaces can better cater to the needs of all users. The recommendation is for other higher education institutions to consider implementing inclusive design principles in their design processes to ensure all members of their community are catered for, leading to a more inclusive and accessible academic environment for all.